Smith and Wesson serial number search

[RJay]

Well, don't know for sure, Under the news system, Pre-fix AHC was used in 1986, Pre-fix ASR in 2004. ANS falls between those two numbers . On the Model 19-4, small problem, I can not find any E Pre-fix's used by S&W , Thinking perhaps you had a miss stroke on the key board and meant a pre-fix of K, That number dates to 1953 and the Model 19 came into being in 1955 and engineering change 4 was added in 1977, which would date your Model 19-4 between 1977 and the next change ( -5 ) in 1982. Best I can do, perhaps I'm over looking something

[Sevens]

You are correct again. The 4th Change guns, of which they made by FAR FAR FAR the most, began in 1915 at the 241704 serial number and ran to 700000 in 1942.
(Appendix also says 1940-1945 saw 700000-1000000 serial numbers.)

Of course, we cannot nail down a year for the 4th Change guns specifically by serial number with the appendix in the SCSW, as we can for so many other guns.

What we have been doing is to get ballpark date figures simply by the information we gather from scattered Roy Jinks factory letters on these revolvers. I happen to have two 4th Change guns myself and I have a Jinks letter on one of those revolvers. My 357xxx was shipped by Smith & Wesson in the spring of 1921. I bought another about a year ago with a 272xxx serial number that I have pretty much figured was built in 1917, by comparing it with a factory lettered 290xxx that was built in June, 1918.

For $50 and a month or two wait, Roy Jinks can tell you the date it was shipped, all the features it was sent with and where it was shipped. It's pretty neat! But without that letter, we can only do a little math and a little guessing. I think we might agree that the one you're looking at with a 275xxx is going to be from 1917.

As a side note...
I would love to put together a simple database with dates/SN's for these revolvers. Probably many scattered amongst the posts here on TFL, probably a handful scattered amidst this monster sized thread. I'd imagine there are MANY on the Smith & Wesson discussion forum and you can simply click click click click click endlessly on Gunbroker (or, well, anywhere offering guns for sale) if the particular gun for sale also shows a factory letter where you can get the date and SN.

It'd be a lot of leg work, but it would be a neat little database to have.

I like collections. In this case, it would simply be a collection of... information.

[BigJimP]

Like Rjay said...

a. no E's in model 19's serial numbers....19-4 is between 1977 and 1982...

b. same issue on the ANS on the model 60....??....what is the dash number on the model 60 ?

[Johnnyboybrown]

It is a model 60 no dash stainless snub nose with beautiful scroll work. I'll get back to you on the 19-4.

Thanks for the response.

[laytonj1]

Model 60 .38 special serial #ANS84**

1986/87.
Take the serial number from the model 19 from the underside of the grip frame. You may need to remove the grips to see it. It should start with a "K".
See post #6505 of this thread to see a pic I posted earlier.

Jim

[Tuffy]

Not sure if I`m doing this properly,but,I will try this first.I have acquired a neat little 32 S&W revolver,looking for approximate date of manuf.I`ll give brief description/with first three numbers in S.N.I think it is known as a "hand ejector"model.It has <32 LONG CTG>stamped on side of 4"round barrel.It has several Pat`d dates on top of BBL.,last of which is 08 SEPT.09 .The S.N.119xxx is on bottom of grip frame.It has been reblued,but,still has seen a good bit of use since reblue.Some of bluing has been worn off in all of places one would expect with usage.The checkering on the inside grip panel is almost completely worn off.I would imagine with wear from holster and gripping with right hand for shooting.It locks up very well and timing is excellent,and the accuracy is astounding,considering some pitting of the bore.Any info would be greatly appreciated,thank you very much.

[Sevens]

I'm not an authority on the much older revolvers, but I would assume by the serial number that your revolver is the .32 Hand Ejector Model of 1903, 5th Change. I-frame with five screws.

According to the book, the serial number range ran from 102501 to ~263000, with S&W making 160,499 of these between 1910 & 1917. Figure yours to be one of the earlier ones in this range of years.

The barrel should be 4 and one-fourth inches when measured from the forcing cone to the muzzle.

[Tuffy]

Sevens,I thank you for the info you provided for me.I`ve been told this gun was aged anywhere from 1929 to 1949.I was pretty sure it was somewhat earlier,again I thank you!!!Tuffy

[Kev]

Ok, I had asked for help on a K frame a few months ago but the gun was sold before I could get it.
THIS one is in my possession ($299.00) for a shooter/beater with an absolutely butter DA trigger (check out the old school trigger shoe) that reminds me of Pops old Colt Officer Model Match..
SN K240XXX so I am thinking 1955 ish? You guys are awesome

[idpassr]

I'm thinking this is a 1983 production revolver with the ACV54xx serial. The box that came with it was for an ADH prefix and has Julian date of 3325, which would be November 21, 1983. A Monday.

Bought this with Hogue rubber grips on and didn't see this 'DOJ' engraved on the front strap until I decided that I wanted to get a Tyler t-grip for it.

[Ignacio49]

Posted data was wrong - I deleted my comments

[WVsig]

586 AAL54XX Looks to be a No dash so would 1982 be correct?

[Sevens]

SN K240XXX ... 1957 says the index. Also says that 1957 saw the introduction of stamped Model numbers on the revolvers, so maybe yours was just before they began doing that.



ACV54xx serial ... between January and October, 1983.




Model 586, AAL54XX ... between October and December of 1982.
As a no-dash, if it does NOT have the factory "M" overstamp, this revolver is subject to factory recall which Smith & Wesson still honors.

[WVsig]

Model 586, AAL54XX ... between October and December of 1982.
As a no-dash, if it does NOT have the factory "M" overstamp, this revolver is subject to factory recall which Smith & Wesson still honors.

Thanks there is no overstamp that I could see.

[losttrail]

Guess I'll jump in here and ask for some info.

My maternal grandmother passed away in 1980 and I inherited the S&W .39Spl revolver that she carried in her purse or pocket for years, pearl grips, as long as I can remember and I was born in 1961.

5-round cylinder, .38 S&W SPECIAL on right side of barrel, SMITH & WESSON on left side, no model stamped anywhere. serial # on the bottom of the grip frame, 150xxx. S&W logo on left side of frame behind cylinder below release,. MADE IN USA, MARCAS REGISTRADAS, SMITH & WESSON, SPRINGFIELD, MASS on right front of frame below cylinder.

Look very much like a Model 36, has 1-7/8" barrel and is blued. With no model # I assume that it is a pre-1957 model?

I also have the original wood grips. No box or anything else. All told I would estimate less than 200 rounds fired as she usually shot my grandfather's .38 Police Special but my uncle took that after Grandad died in 1984.

Any help is appreciated.

Jerry

[Sevens]

With no model number and looking very much like a J-frame, 150xxx occupies a place in the index where there is a hole & there is no associated information explaining that hole. The book calls it simply "The Chief's Special" but it says specifically that model number started in 1957 with serial number 125000. So that yours is a higher number and yet has no model number seems curious.

So unless you can re-examine the revolver or someone else comes up with some ideas or thoughts, I suppose we can guess that your revolver was made in/near 1957...?

[schinckj]

Hey everyone I really need some input on a firearm. My dad has a .32 ctg 3or 3 1/2 barrel blued lemon squeezer. Serial 102xxx I have tried to fiqure the date of it for some time now with no luck. The only markings I see is the serial #, rhe patent dates on the top of the barrel, and the ..32 ctg on left side of the barrel. Can anyone help me out with the year of manufacture?

[Sevens]

Book says that the .32 cal with that serial number would be the ".32 Safety Hammerless 2nd Model" and was made between 1902 and 1909. Serial range went from 91419 to 170000. It was offered in both 3-inch and 3 1/2-inch barrel lengths.

[brendynsmom]

Serial number is 706916

[Sevens]

Haha, we typically ask for (or expect more) information than that. But until you can give us more, I'll take a wild shot.

Assuming there are no leading alpha characters before that serial number, and assuming that it's definitely the serial number (found on the bottom of the grip frame) then I *think* there were only two series of Smith & Wesson revolvers that ran to numbers that high.

If it's .32 caliber, it'd be very late 1950s or 1960.
If it's .38 caliber, it'd be a very early 1940s, as early as 1940.

[brendynsmom]

It is a .38 and it has a white pearl handle. The serial number I gave was from under the bottom of the handle. It has no letters. It's numbers only. Is it a pre model 10 or is it a model 10? Or is there any way to tell?

[brendynsmom]

I really appreciate any info given on this gun. I appreciate yall helping me sort this out. Does anyone know an approximate value on the gun? Serial number 706916. It's a .38 smith and wesson.

[Sevens]

Okay, that helps a lot.
What you've got is most likely a Smith & Wesson Hand Ejector Military & Police Model of 1905, 4th Change. These revolvers evolved in to the Victory Model and then... as you guessed, eventually the Model 10.

The chambering marked on the right side of the barrel should say ".38 Smith & Wesson Special", worth noting simply because .38 Smith & Wesson is actually a different chambering of slightly different size.

This revolver is perhaps the most produced single "model" of handgun in history with an estimated six million having been produced.

That's good and bad...
When the design is good enough that six million of them have been built and sold, it's just a phenomenal design. However, when you have one... it needs to be some rare variation and also in pristine shape to carry a high "value."

I put the word value in quotes because it's -VERY- subjective.

The grips, if they are genuine mother of pearl have a value all their own. Unless they were originally issued from the factory, the revolver itself is unlikely to carry any stunning value. If the grips have small S&W medallions inset in them, they could be, but I would think that's unlikely.

Condition, right along with value, is quite subjective, far more so if the person assessing it's condition doesn't have the revolver in their hands to inspect it. If it's in very nice working order and appears to be extremely well kept, it could be worth a few hundred dollars.

If it turned out to be some rare combination of original factory specifications that is uncommon and could be proven, it could be quite a bit more valuable. A factory letter from the S&W historian Roy Jinks would tell you exactly how, when, and to where it was originally shipped from the factory. Mr. Jinks does charge $50 for that service, and it takes a couple of months to get the letter.

We could perhaps get a little closer to having a ballpark of "value" with some pictures.

Hope that helps. I have two revolvers that are quite similar, and dear to me.

[conda70]

Can anyone help me with date of manufacture of my model 60 #R280549. Thank you

[Sevens]

That would be very early 1980, according to the big book.